History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 114

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1138

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boygan, Wisconsin, and traveled for them in North and South Dakota, Minnesota and Iowa. Upon December 15, 1902, he was again ap- pointed public examiner for the state of South Dakota, to fill an unexpired term, and was again reappointed in January, 1903, to hold until March, 1905.

Believing that it was not good for man to be alone, Mr. Hemingway was married on the 29th day of June, 1892, to Miss Jennie E. Wing, of Brookings, who was a daughter of O. C. and Elizabeth Wing, who came to Brookings in 1882. Her father still resides there, the mother having passed away on May 14, 1900. These sturdy people were of English descent. Mr. Heming- way's family consists of four children, three sons and onc daughter: Charles, ten years of age; Robert, aged eight years; Grace, aged five, and Frank, but five months old.

Mr. Hemingway has always been to an eminent degree a public-spirited man, actively engaged in the promotion of any and all worthy causes. He is a member of the Masonic order, and has attained the degree of the Royal Arch and Temple. He also belongs to the Eastern Star, of Brookings, and El Riad Temple, of the Mystic Shrine, at Sioux Falls. He is a charter member of the Woodmen at Brookings, and was the first worthy advisor. The Watertown Knights of Pythias lodge still claims him as a member in good and regular standing, as also does the lodge of Royal Neighbors, to which Mrs. Hemingway belongs. In politics he is a stanch Republican and his family are members of the Methodist Episcopal church.

JOHN H. FIREY, one of the representative business men of the city of Aberdeen, is a native of the state of Illinois, having been born in Edin- burg, Christian county, on the 13th of Novem- ber, 1859, and being a son of Henry and Minerva (Lord) Firey, the former of whom was born in Maryland and the latter in Ohio, the paternal grandfather, Joseph F. Firey, having been like- wise born in Maryland. Joseph Tilden Lord, the maternal grandfather, who was an early pioneer

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in Ohio, was born in Vermont, and migrated to Ohio, and was a soldier in the war of 1812, in which connection he served under General Wil- liam Henry Harrison, having been present at the battle of Tippecanoe, and also that of the Thames, where the famous Indian warrior, Tecumseh, met his death. Joseph F. Firey was a pioneer of Illinois. He removed to Sangamon county, and settled near the site of the present city of Spring- field, the capital of that state. The old homestead still remains in the possession of the family, and there the grandfather died when seventy years . of age. The maternal grandfather of the sub- ject likewise became a pioneer of Illinois, and was there accidentally killed shortly after locating in the state, in the later 'thirties. The father of the subject of this sketch continued to follow the vocation to which he had been reared, becoming a successful and influential farmer of Sangamon county, where both he and his wife passed the closing years of their lives. Of their eight chil- dren seven are living, John H. having been the youngest of the family.

John H. Firey was reared on the old home- stead farm and received his preliminary educa- tional training in the district schools, after which he continued his studies in Carthage College, at Carthage, Illinois, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1882. On the 17th of Au- gust of that year he made his advent in what is now the city of Aberdeen, South Dakota, the place having been at that time scarcely more than a frontier village. He had previously become a registered pharmacist in Illinois and upon locat- ing in Aberdeen he at once established himself in the retail drug business. His enterprise proved successful from its initiation and with the rapid settling of the surrounding country and the de- velopment and substantial upbuilding of Aber- deen the business rapidly increased in scope and importance, so that he gradually developed a man- ufacturing and jobbing department, and it was this feature that led to his becoming one of the organizers and incorporators of the Jewett Drug Company, in 1903, while he is one of the stoek- holders in the eoneern and in the same holds the office of manager. The company utilize a fine

building, one hundred by one hundred and fifty feet in dimensions, four stories in height, besides basement, and constructed of light-colored pressed brick, with granite trimmings, and the wholesale and jobbing business already built up far sur- passes the most sanguinary expectations of the interested principals, while the enterprise is a dis- tinctive acquisition to the jobbing interests of the city. Mr. Firey is the general manager of the business and is handling its affairs with marked discrimination, being straightforward in his methods, forming his plans readily and carrying them to proper execution, and thus proving an able administrative officer and a business man who commands unqualified confidence and es- teem. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Democratic party, and he has held various local offices, including that of postmaster of Aberdeen, to which position he was appointed in 1885, serv- ing four years. Fraternally he is identified with the lodge, chapter and commandery of the Ma- sonic order and also with the Ancient Order of United Workmen.

On the 25th of January. 1883, Mr. Firey was united in marriage to Miss Sue A. Mack, of Car- thage, Illinois, she being a daughter of David Mack, a leading member of the bar of that sec- tion and president of the Hancock National Bank of Carthage. Of this union have been born two children, Carl R., who is an assistant in the drug establishment of which his father is manager, and Margaret, who is still attending school.

JAMES HENRY MCLAUGHLIN, who is now conducting a trading store at the Oak Creek sub-issue station of the Standing Rock Indian reservation, was born in Faribault, Minnesota, on the 15th of January, 1868, being a son of Major James MeLaughlin, who was born in the province of Ontario, Canada, of stanch Scottish ancestry. He was educated in the Dominion of Canada, where he was reared to maturity, and as a young man he removed to Minnesota, having been en- gaged in blacksmithing at Faribault for several years, and having removed thence to the terri- tory of Dakota in 1871, in company with his fam-

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ily. He located at Fort Totten, Devil's Lake In- dian agency, in what is now North Dakota. where he remained ten years, having been there engaged as agency blacksmith and head farmer on the reservation. Upon the death of Major Forbes he was appointed government agent, about 1881, and was transferred to the Standing Rock agency, North Dakota, where he still re- mains incumbent of this responsible office.

The subject of this sketch passed his youthful years at the Devil's Lake agency, and there re- ceived fair educational advantages. About 1886 he secured a clerkship in the trading store of the firm of Perkins & Roberts, at the agency, and in the following year went to St. John's College, at Collegeville, Minnesota, where he continued his educational work during the ensuing year. He thereafter worked for different traders at the Standing Rock agency, and finally passed another term in college, thus effectually rounding out his education. For three years thereafter he was in the employ of M. H. Angevine, on the Standing Rock reservation, and then engaged in ranching on the Cannon Ball river, giving his attention principally to the raising of cattle, while he gave his place the title of Circle M ranch. He there continued operations until 1891, when he entered the employ of Parkin Brothers, leading Indian traders, with whom he remained, under most pleasant and favorable relations, for the follow- ing seven years. In 1885 he made a tour with the famous Sitting Bull combination, under Colonel Allen, acting as interpreter. In 1893, while still in the employ of Parkin Brothers, he visited the World's Columbian Exposition, in Chicago, and the following season was passed at the famous eastern resort, Coney Island, where he had on exhibition Rain-in-the-Face and other Indians, who were there exploited by his em- plovers, the Parkin Brothers. In 1897, when the elder of the brothers died, Mr. McLaughlin pur- chased their trading business at the Standing Rock agency, conducting the same two years and then selling out to Mr. Parkin, in whose employ he had formerly been retained. About three months later he went to the national capital and there secured from the department on Indian af-

fairs a license to trade at the Oak Creek sub- issue station, where he has since been located, and where he controls a large and profitable business. In addition to his trading post he also has a large number of cattle on the range, as well as horses, and conducts a successful enter- prise in this line.

In 1882 Mr. Mclaughlin went out on a buf- falo chase, in company with about five hundred Indians and five other white men, and they were out about one week, within which time they killed about five thousand of the great animals, which are now practically extinct, this having been next to the last big chase in the history of slaughter- ing the bison on the great plains of the west. In politics Mr. Mclaughlin is a stanch advocate of the principles of the party in power.

On the 28th of January, 1891, Mr. Mc- Laughlin was united in marriage to Miss Annie Goudreau, of Grand River Indian agency, South Dakota, she being a daughter of Robert Gou- direau, who has been identified with the govern- ment Indian service for a number of years. Mr. and Mrs. McLaughlin have four children, namely : Sidney. Louisa, Henry and Imelda.

JOHN CURTIS SIMMONS, the able and popular cashier of the Bank of Frederick, at Frederick, Brown county, was born in Grange- ville, Saratoga county, New York, in the year 1857, and is a son of William Simmons, who was born and reared in Ireland, whence he emigrated to the United States and took up his residence in Saratoga county, New York, where he died when our subject was but eighteen months of age, so that the latter has very meager data in regard to his family genealogy. The subject was reared in his native county, in whose public schools he secured excellent educational advantages, so that he became eligible for pedagogic honors, having there been successfully engaged in teaching for about three years. In 1882 he came as a pioneer to the present state of South Dakota and located in Aberdeen, in which place he arrived on the 18th of May. He entered the employ of C. A. Bliss, merchant and banker, with whom he re-

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mained until 1886, when he came to Frederick and, with others, purchased the Dow Brothers' Bank, organizing then the Bank of Frederick, in which institution he has ever since been incum- bent of the office of cashier, handling his execu- tive duties with marked discrimination and ability and having thus done much to maintain the bank on a firm foundation and to gain to it high pop- ularity. The institution controls a large and suc- cessful business, being capitalized for fifteen thou- sand dollars and having a surplus fund of half that amount. During the financial depression of 1893-4 the bank was one of the few which, through careful and conservative management, successfully weathered the storm and added to its prestige and solidity, no assessment having been levied on its stockholders during that critical period. In addition to his banking interests Nr. Simmons is the owner of a large amount of val- table real estate in the county and also has im- portant interests in live stock. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Republican party, and fra- ternally has attained to the thirty-second degree of Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite Masonry, be- ing also affiliated with the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He has shown much interest in public affairs and in the promotion of all objects tending to conserve the general welfare and progress. He was a mem- ber of the first legislature of the state, having been elected to represent his district in 1889.

On the 3d of December, 1891, Mr. Simmons was united in marriage to Miss Emma Burton, who was born in Wisconsin, being a daughter of William Burton, who came to South Dakota in 1882. becoming one of the honored and influen- tial pioneers of Brown county. Mr. and Mrs. Simmons have one child, Ruth.

CHALKLEY H. DERR has the distinction of having been elected the first judge of the courts of Faulk county, while he continued on the bench for the long period of twelve succes- sive years, and is still engaged in the practice of his profession in Faulkton. He is a native of the okl Buckeye state and a scion of one of its

pioneer families. He was born near the village of Salem, Columbiana county, Ohio, on the 14th of April, 1840, and is a son of Charles and Re- becca (Elliott) Derr, both of whom were like- wise native of that state. The paternal great- great-grandfather of the Judge was a patriot soldier in the Continental line during the war of the Revolution, and his great-grandfather took part in the war of 1812, while the subject him- self upheld the military prestige of the name by his valiant service in the Civil war. Frederick Derr, grandfather of the Judge, was born in Pennsylvania, whither his father had come from Germany prior to the war of the Revolution. He removed to Ohio when a young man and lo- cated four miles south of Salem, Columbiana county, being one of the early settlers in that section of the state, where he engaged in farm- ing and also in the work of his trade, that of cooper, while he and his good wife there made their home until they were called from the scenes of life's activities. The father of the subject was a millwright by trade and also owned a good farm in Columbiana county, his death ac- curring when the future judge was but thirteen years of age, so that the latter was soon thrown on his own resources, having been in the full- est sense the artificer of his own fortunes and having accumulated a competency through his own efforts.

Judge Derr secured his early educational dis- cipline in the district and select schools of his native county, where he was reared to maturity. In September, 1861, as a young man of twenty- one years, he gave significant evidence of his pa- triotism by enlisting in defense of the Union, in response to President Lincoln's first call. He became a private in Company I, Nineteenth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, commanded by Colonel Sam- uel Bailey, and was mustered in at Alliance, Ohio, as orderly sergeant, whence he proceeded with his regiment to Cincinnati, where they were equipped. and went forward to Louisville and then to Columbia, Kentucky, where they passed the winter. The regiment thence proceeded into Tennessce in the spring and was actively en- gaged in the battle of Shiloh, in April, as well

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as the battle of Perryville, Kentucky, and the siege of Corinthi, from which city it went to Holly Springs, Mississippi, and to Florence and to Battle Creek, and thence over the mountains with General Buell's forces, reaching Louisville after having had daily skirmishes with General Bragg's forces. Thence they went to Stone river, where, owing to a severe attack of rhieu- matism and the results of an injury received in the battle of Shiloh, the subject became incapac- itated for active service and was given a three- months sick furlough, passing the time in Ohio and then being assigned to the quartermaster's department and being stationed at Nashville, Tennessee, for two years, having taken part in the last battle in that city, and having been hon- orably discharged, on the Ist of June, 1865. so that he served during practically the entire per- iod of the war. He returned home in July and was shortly afterward married, after which he removed to Jones county, Iowa, where he pur- chased a large tract of land and became also in- terested in a large grain, stock and hardware business, with which he was identified for two years. In the meanwhile he had continued to de- vote much attention to a careful study of the law, and had served six years in the office of jus- tice of the peace. Owing to impaired health he came to Faulk county, South Dakota, in 1882, taking up his residence here before the county was organized, and here lie has ever since main- tained his home, having taken a prominent part in public affairs and in the upbuilding of the city of Faulkton, while he was admitted to the bar of the district court in 1888 and to the supreme court in 1899. He was elected the first judge of the courts of the county upon its organization, in 1884, and was retained in the office, by suc- cessive re-elections, for the consecutive period of twelve years, making a most admirable rec- ord for his fair and impartial rulings, based on the law and the evidence in the various cases, while it should be noted in the connection that he never had one of his decisions reversed by the higher tribunals. In politics the Judge is a stal- wart Republican, and is thoroughly well fortified in his convictions as to governmental policies,

and fraternally he is identified with the Grand Army of the Republic and the Masonic order, in which latter he has attained the Knights Templar degrees and also become a member of Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine. He is one of the strong, true, public- spirited men of Faulk county, and is held in the utmost confidence and esteem in the community.

On the 23d of August, 1865. was solemnized the marriage of Judge Derr to Miss Eliza J. Camp, who was born and reared in Ohio, being a daughter of Levi Camp. She was summoned into eternal rest on the 31st of April, 1891, and is survived by three children, namely : Kate May, who is the wife of I. Allen Cornwell, of Faulk- ton : C. W., who is a resident of Turton, Spink county ; and Inez, who is the wife of J. F. Arm- strong, of Faulkton. On the 21st of December, 1898, Judge Derr was united in marriage to Mrs. V. C. (Stewart) Coffee, who was born in Beaver, Pennsylvania, being a daughter of Samuel Stew- art and the widow of Dr. J. L. Coffee.

JAMES W. WILSON .- The State Agricul- tural College of South Dakota, at Brookings, is signally fortunate in having secured the subject of this sketch as a member of its faculty, and his efforts in the connection have not failed of due appreciation on the part of those interested in this valued institution. Professor Wilson was born on a farm near Traer, Tama county, Iowa, on the 12th of February, 1871, and his is the distinc- tion of being a son of the present able incumbent of the office of secretary of the United States de- partment of agriculture, James Wilson, while the maiden name of his mother was Esther Wil- bur, the ancestry in the agnatic line tracing back to Scotch origin, while on the maternal side the lineage is of German extraction, the Wilburs having early become identified with the history of the state of New York. James Wilson was num- bered among the pioneers of Iowa, and so fa- miliar to the public is the record of his life and services that a recapitulation is not demanded in this connection.

The subject of this review passed his boyhood

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days on the homestead farm, while his early edu- cational discipline was secured in the dis- trict schools, which he continued to at- tend until he had attained the age of fifteen years, when he entered the high school at Traer, Iowa, where he continued his studies for two years, after which he returned to the home farm, where he was engaged in the caring for the live stock until he had attained his legal majority. He then, in 1893, was matriculated in the State Agricultural College of Iowa, at Ames, where he completed the prescribed four-years' course in science and agriculture, being gradu- ated with the degree of Bachelor of Science as a member of the class of 1896, while two years later his alma mater conferred upon him the de- gree of Master of Science. For one year he was assistant professor of animal husbandry in the same institution, and he then went to the national capital in the capacity of private secretary to his father, who had been chosen secretary of agricul- ture. This incumbency Professor Wilson re- tained for three years, during the last two of which he was a student in the law department of Georgetown University, where he attended the evening sessions. After leaving Washington he passed a year in the law office of the firm of Hub- bard, Dawley & Wheeler, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and during the succeeding year he had charge of a farm of eight hundred acres in that state. On the 22d of May, 1902, he was chosen director of the state experiment station established at the State Agricultural College of South Dakota and was simultaneously made professor of agricul- tural and animal husbandry at the college and placed in charge of the farm and the college dairy. He has proved an able, discriminating and enthusiastic worker in these important capac- ities, and has done much to increase the prestige of the institution, while within the year 1903 will have been completed on the farm a fine barn for experimental work in his line, the building repre- senting an expenditure of twelve thousand dol- lars. Professor Wilson will thus have excellent facilities for carrying on his work, including orig- inal research and experimentation, and he is cer- tain to make his department one of great value to

not only the students of the college, but to the farmers of the entire state. He is a close ob- server and indefatigable student, and has had the advantages of wide travel, having visited every state in the Union with the exception of two or three in New England, and having also made trips to Cuba and Jamaica. In politics he gives his allegiance to the Republican party ; his relig- ious faith is that of the Presbyterian church, and fraternally he is identified with the Masonic or- der, being affiliated with lodge and chapter in Washington, D. C., and the commandery in Brookings, South Dakota.

JOHN W. HESTON .- The state of South Dakota has realized a development and progress almost unprecedented in the lines of civic and ma- terial advancement of a comparatively new com- monwealth, and it is gratifying to note that a proper estimate has been placed upon the edu- cational facilities demanded within its borders. As the state represents an essentially agricul- tural section it is most consistent that we find maintained here that most excellent institution. the State Agricultural College, which is located at Brookings, Brookings county, while the same is favored in having as its executive head the subject of this sketch, who is p.esident of the college.

John William Heston was born in Belle- fonte. Center county, Pennsylvania, on the Ist of February, 1854, being a son of Elisha B. and Catherine (Eckel) Heston, both of whom were likewise born in the old Keystone state. Elisha B. Heston was a son of John W. Heston, who was born in Hestonville, a suburb of the city of Philadelphia, and the name was given to the vil- lage in honor of the family, the name having been prominently identified with the annals of the history of Pennsylvania for several genera- tions, while the lineage is traced back to Scot- tish and English origin. The paternal grand- father of the subject devoted his active business life to mercantile pursuits. Elisha B. Heston, who was a successful manufacturer of carriages for many years, removed with his family to Kan-

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sas in 1879, becoming one of the honored pioneers of Plainville, Rooks county, where he passed the residue of his life, his death resulting from an injury received in a runaway accident. He passed away in 1806, at the age of sixty-seven years, his wife having died in the preceding year, from a sunstroke, being sixty-five years of age at the time. Both were devoted members of the Presbyterian church, and the father was a stanch Republican in his political proclivities, being a man of highest integrity and excellent business ability. Of the six children of this estimable couple we enter brief record as follows : Mary, who became the wife of William Hen- derson, is now deceased; John W. is the im- mediate subject of this review; Daniel died at the age of seven years ; Emma C. passed away in childhood; Robert H. is a resident of Seattle, Washington, and is interested in the gold-mining industry ; and Sallie is the wife of William L. Clark, of Salina, Kansas.

John W. Heston, to whom this sketch is ded- icated, passed his youthful days in Boalsburg, Pennsylvania, where he attended the public schools until he had attained the age of eighteen years, when he became a student in the Center Hall Normal School, at Center Hall, that state, remaining two years in that instit: tion, after which he was engaged in teaching for one year, at the expiration of which he was matriculated in the State Agricultural College of Pennsyl- vania, at Bellefonte, where he was graduated as a member of the class of 1879. Shortly after- ward he was made a member of the faculty of his alma mater, where he continued to teach for eleven years. having been principal of the pre- paratory department for seven years and assist- ant in agriculture, while for three years he was professor of the science and art of teaching. After leaving the college in Pennsylvania Pro- fessor Heston, who had received from the institu- tion the degrees of Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts, removed to the city of Seattle, Wash- ington, where he was incumbent of the position of principal of the high school for the ensuing three years, resigning this incumbency to accept ; the presidency of the State Agricultural College

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History of South Dakota, Vol. II, Part 114

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn Publication date: 1904 Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen Number of Pages: 1138

Author: Robinson, Doane, 1856-1946. cn
Publication date: 1904
Publisher: [Logansport? IN] : B. F. Bowen
Number of Pages: 1138